Machine for and method of making spiral pipes



April 17, 1951 J. H. TAYLOR MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES Filed Nov. 19, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. H. TAYLOR April 17, 1951 MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES Filed NOV. 19, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. TgyZo-r BY M j A ,/I- 9M,

A ril 17, 1951 J. H. TAYLOR 2,549,032

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES Filed Nov. 19, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. tfamczs Hall ZyZOf "April 17, 1951 J. H. TAYLOR 2,549,032

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES Filed Nov. 19, 1948 '5 Sheets-Sheet 4 In. H W H zzvmvrox.

rfamesficzzl fizz 60p BY MM/WYMI April 17, 1951 J. H. TAYLOR 2,549,032

MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES Filed Nov. 19, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Egg. 2 W

/l/l/Il/l/II/l/l/IA INVENTOR. rfames Hall T a yofi Patented Apr. 17, 1951 MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SPIRAL PIPES James Hall Taylor, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Taylor Forge & Pipe Works, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 19, 1948, Serial No. 60,951

9 Claims.

This invention relates, to the production of spiral pipe from metal strip wound spirally into tubular form with the convolutions of the resultant tube welded togethenand has to do with a'novelmachine andmethod for the production ofcsuch pipe.

In the commercial production'of metal strip or skelp used for makingspiral pipe, it frequently happens that there is-considerable variation in the width of the strip and: the edges thereof are more or less undulatory. That renders it extremely-diflicult and; often impracticable to seoureithe convolutions of thewound pipe together by buttwelding, for-which reason itis the common-practiceto windxthepstrip so as to provide a lap joint between the convolutions and to weld together the overlap and the underlap of such joint. Thatinevitably provides projections interiorly of the pipe, which, in many instances, are objectionable.

My invention is directed to a machine and a method whereby spirally wound pipe may be produced from commercial metal strip with expedition and facility and at comparatively low cost. To that end, I provide a machine comprising a former upon which the metal strip is wound spirally into tubular form, and means for cutting the strip, as it is wound, touniform width, in such manner that the cut-edges of the strip are moved into pressure contact and are welded together in the advancement of the pipe as it is formed. More particularly, the metal strip is wound upon the. former in such manner that the. leading margin of the, convolution being Wound overlaps the following margin-o1" the next precedingconvolution so as to provide a lap joint therebetween, the. overlap and the underlap of the: joint thus: produced are. cut through. ina common :plane. and thecutedgesof the strip are brought into contact and, in the advancement or the. formedpipe,are-welded together. The method. of my invention comprisesbroadly, cuttingthe metal strip, touniform width as it is wound into tubular or pipeforrmdisposing the cut edges of the convolutions ofrthe strip, in contact and welding; such. edges together. More specifically, as the lap jointis out through, the leading edge' portion of: the convolution being woundis moved substantially radially inward into alignment with the. following edgeportion of the next-preceding wound convolution, the out edges oithe'two convolutions are brought into pressurecontaohandthe. cut'edges of the convolutions or the-pipe or. tube are welded together in the advancement eithepine as1 it is formed. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away,of a spiral pipe winding machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken substam tially on line 3+3 of Figure-2,certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44'of Figure 3, certain parts being shown in plan;

Figure 5 is a sectional viewtaken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 2, certain parts being broken away;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the former and the metal-strip being wound thereon, taken a short distance outward from the cutting discs of the shears, the discs being shown in elevation and partly broken away;

Figure 7 is a sectional View, taken substantially on line ll-17 of Figure 6, of the leading edge portion of a, convolution of the metal strip being wound and the following edge portion of the next preceding convolution, showing the lap joint formed between the two convolutions during winding of a convolution, this view illustrating the first step of the method of my invention;

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7, but taken substantially on line 8-.8of Figure 6 and illustratinga further step in the method of my invention, in which the overlap-and the underlap of the-joint of Figure? are cut through in a common plane;

Figure 9 is a-view-similar to Figure'8, but taken substantially on line 89 of Figure 6 and illustrating a still further step of the method, in which the overlap and the underlap of the joint have been completely severed and the leading edge portion of the convolutionbeing wound has been moved inward into alignment with the -role lowing edge portion of the next preceding wound convolution, and the cutedges of the two convoluticns are in pressure contact with each other;

Figure 10 is a sectional View on the order of Fig ure 9, but illustrating the final step of the method of my invention, in which the cut edges of the convolutions are welded together; and

Figure 11 is aiace view'of alengthof commercial metal stripfbefore trimmingof the margins thereof in accordance with the method of my invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 32,447, filed June 11., 1948, which has been abandoned.

The machine of my invention comprises a base 20 mounted on a pedestal 26 or otherwise suitably supported, and on which is suitably mounted a standard 2|. A hollow cylindrical former 22 is suitably mounted on and bolted to the standard 2|. Former 22 is shown as comprising two sleeves 23 and 24 bolted together end to end. The sleeve 24 is formed to provide an exterior helical shoulder 25 spaced a short distance from upright 2 The adjacent ends of sleeves 23 and 24 (Figure 2) are recessed or rabbeted for reception of a ring 26 mounted thereon for free rotation. The metal strip or skelp 28 is gripped between ring 26 and a pinch roll 21, as will appear more fully presently. The skelp 23 passes over a table 25 mounted on base 20, between sets of circumferentially grooved guide rollers 36 mounted on table 29, and beneath an idler roll 3| mounted in brackets 32 secured to table 29. Frorn roll 3| the skelp 28 passes upward to the former 22 and then downward about the latter, between ring 26 and the pinch roll 2?. The latter roll 21 is fixed on a shaft 33 (Figures 1 and 3) rotatably mounted in the forked upper end of an arm 34 pivoted, at about its midlength, on a shaft 35 rotatably mounted in spaced bearing blocks, one of which is shown at 36, fixed to base 20. An eye rod 38 is pivoted, at 31, by pin and slot means, to the lower end of arm 34 and is threaded at its outer portion, which passes loosely through a bracket 39 fixed to, and extending downward from, base 20. A hand wheel 46 screws on rod 38 and bears against the outer face of bracket 39, for forcing pinch roll 21 toward ring 25, for gripping the skelp 28 therebetween. The roll 21 is shown as convexed lengthwise and serrated or ribbed at its midportion for gripping the skelp, though it may be otherwise suitably formed.

The pinch roll 2! is driven clockwise, as viewed in Figure 3, in a suitable manner. I have shown, by way of illustration, a chain and sprocket drive, from an electric motor 4| mounted on base 26 to pinch roll 21. A sprocket wheel 42, secured on motor shaft 43 receives a chain 44 passing about a sprocket wheel 45 secured on shaft 35. A second sprocket wheel 46, of greatly reduced diameter relative to sprocket wheel 45, is secured on shaft 35 and receives a chain 48 passing about a sprocket wheel 49 fixed on shaft 33. It will be seen that arm 34 may be adjusted about shaft 35 to desired extent without affecting the drive between motor 4| and pinch roll 27. The means shown for driving pinch roll 2'! is by way of example only, and any suitable means may be provided for that purpose. Likewise, any suitable means may be provided for effecting adjustment of pinch roll 2! relative to ring 26. An idler pinch roll is rotatably mounted, at the opposite side of former 22 from, and forwardly of, pinch roll 21, in the forked upper end of an arm 5|, the lower forked end of which is pivoted to a boss 52 extending upward from base 20. An eye rod 53 is pivoted at its inner end, by pin and slot means, to arm 5| and its threaded outer portion passes loosely through a bracket 54 fixed to and extending upward from base 20. A hand wheel 55, screwing on rod 53 and bearing against the inner side of bracket 54, provides means for forcing roll 50 toward former 22. The outer end portion of sleeve 23 is recessed or rabbeted for reception of a ring 56 (Figure 2) freely rotatable thereon. This ring 56 is restrained against outward move ment l ngthwise of sleeve 23 by an end collar 51 threaded into sleeve 23 and having a shoulder constituting the outer end of the recess in which the ring 56 is mounted. The roll 50 is shown as convexed lengthwise, though it may be otherwise suitably formed, and is disposed for contact with the wound skelp passing over ring 56, at the leading and following edge portions of two adjacent convolutions thereof. The roll 50 may be mounted and adjusted in any suitable manner, the means shown for that purpose being illustrative only.

The metal strip or skelp 28 as it is produced commercially is of varying width and the edges of this strip are more or less sinuous or undulatory. In Figure 11 I have shown a short length of the metal strip or skelp 28 in face view, in the condition in which it is produced commercially, the undulations of the edges of the strip being somewhat exaggerated for purposes of illustration. It will be seen that there is considerable variation in the width of the strip and that if the skelp in this form were wound spirally with the edges of the strip abutting, it would not be possible to obtain proper edgewise contact between the convolutions of the wound strip so that they could be butt welded together. Accordingly, it is the usual practice to wind the skelp in such manner as to provide a lap joint of substantial width between adjacent convolutions and to secure the overlap and the underlap of the joint together by welding. The objections to that procedure have been pointed out above and need not be repeated here.

The standard 2| constitutes a part of a pair of rotary shears 58 comprising an upper arm 59 extending lengthwise of former 22 in overlying relation to the upper portion thereof. A journal block 60, shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, is slidably mounted for vertical movement in the inner end of arm 59. This block 60 is suitably connected to the lower end of an adjusting screw 6| threaded through the upper inner end portion of arm 59, for effecting adjustment of block 60. A shaft 62 is rotatably mounted, at its inner end portion, in a bushing 62 in block 60 and, at its outer end portion, in a bushing 63 in a block 64 pivoted, at 65, for swinging movement about a horizontal axis in the upper portion of upright 2|. A spur gear 66 is keyed on the outer end of shaft 62 and meshes with a similar spur gear 6! keyed on a stub shaft 68 rotatably mounted in a bushing 69 carried by standard 2 Stub shaft 68 has keyed on its outer end, adjacent gear 61, a spur gear 10 of much greater diameter than gear 61. The spur gear Ill meshes with a pinion secured on shaft 12 of an electric motor 13 mounted on base 20. It will be seen that when the motor I3 is in operation, the shaft 62 is driven at relatively low speed, the gears 66 and 61 being of the same diameter.

A lower arm 75 (Figures 2 and 4) extends from standard 2| into the former 22, through the adjacent open end thereof. Arm I5 is provided, at its inner end, with an upwardly extending bearing block 16 carrying a bearing bushing 11 in which a stub shaft 18 is rotatably mounted. A cutting disc is suitably secured on the inner end of stub shaft 18 in cooperating relation to a cutting disc 8| secured on the inner end of shaft 62. The disc 80 extends into an opening 82 extending through the upper portion of the sleeve ofidiscrfllll; The dismal is:.th dnivenzdls r ndizthe. disc Bllzis;anxidleri'disci; as; wi1l:,-b,e; cleargirom the. aboveetheetwloldiscs coopeztating*tosrcutithrougha the.oyerlap;andathetundenlap10L 'lallsjQintubfiz tween;amonvolutiombeing; Wail-Indiana:LHWIEHQXQ; precedingrwoundkconyoiutiomas willabezexpiained more; .fulhp laten. In; the operation oft thetmachinee thetmetali strip: o1'..-'sl;elp:2& isagrippedi betweem th roll 2mm thawing- 2.6 so asrtmbe-pull'ed hereby OV81:-aI1d wounchabouihthel former Hr-3w hwit following edgeinucontact withw;thes-helical'shoul" derlz'd'i Erom theadriyenpinch; 11011111 the-:skelp 28': passes around former 21' tothe-==idlen1 pinc roll ifl}. betweenwhich. and;ringrifi itiis gripped 20 and; thereby held; wound? upon: former 22,: 011 0 which thestrip-is==wound spirally into tubular: form; and the formed tube'or' pipe is: advanced 1 over the former-=lengthwisethereof =as-:it is wound During thewindingof eachconvolutiomthelead ing marginthereof is a wound over the followingj margin of the next: preceding-1* convolution; pro vidingtherewith a-lap joint. Thatrwill be-clear, v from- Figure 7; in which the convolution being wound isindicat'ed' by;-ther-reference letter and the next precedi'ng-woundfi convolution ise. indif cat'ed by the-reference letten 0;; The: overlapf pin-;margins;o-f'=the -convolutions:tv and mprovide arlapi'pintjtherebetweemcomprisingthemver mand*t-he-underlap ;u; At the -timethat: the-m chine is set intooperation; the-upper cuttined Bills, in its operative or cutting polsitiorr-shovllir r in Fi'g ures fiand-f 6, the: disc: B'Pbeing driven n such-direction-as'to-tend"to-pulljithe:yskelpilifover the former; thereby assisting in thei'feed or "deg-f livery" thereto of the skelp; The discs-5,80" and" 81S of the shears are sodispflsed? as to cutthroughtl 'e A lap jOiIllT'j-in' the winding;ofthestrip and't e advancement; of? the wound" convolutions, along the former 2221., Ast-he lap jointijienters,between the discs, Miami 181 these discs .cutlthrough' the. jo nt at a outa he; centenlinethereof; as showngn; Figure. 85.1 In the; continued; operation'toiii the; ch neptheglap .jointgpassesihrough tthewbitegofj the discs ;8 Band!!! anditheoyerlap zandtheunderl p :ofjithe rjoint'areithere cutcompletely through thereby seyering: alnarrow/strin s =of ,1me.tal.fro'zn: the overlanandLianarrow stri s L oft-metal :irom the'underlap, as indicated in Figure 9'. Ast-hewound' skelo-is-severed, the leading margin of the convolution beingwound is moved gadially inward? by disc--81; into contact with foriner gziand intozalignmentiwithzthetfollowinggm of the next preceding wound'conyoiutionr- Ati'that" time, theiollowinggiedgga:ofithe; convolution slain alignment with the leading edge portion of :the,-. convolutionflw being wound; asshoyvn iniEIgure' Q'." The; strip or portion s severedjfrom thegoverlap ogiis;deflectedjupwardand outwardgof thenfornier' fl and; asit leaves-the latter; may be disposedioi in;any,- suitable mannen Aldeflctor 85,1shownmoreclearly in Figures 2; '3; and;;4;- is mounted {on the: inner end" of arm 15"andilextends aboutgthe cutting disc-80. This defiectorlflideflects toward theadjacent open endof theiormer Hattie-pom tion or strip sl'severed from the underlap ofthe lap joint betweenthe convolution being wound and thenext preceding convolution. This-seyeredi npntiongsjtoiztheunderlanmawbefledsthrmietizthe,-

e111acenti nckotthesfnrmenanlh nntinuous bla:dee-

stituting:thertubular' rmember or; pipe; ,arein: con

skelpwiszwoundi, with:; the following; edge;th v=.reof=v imcontactzwith shoulden25;of,theiormen-flaitfis "forceditowardztheaendzoffthe, iormer'remotejfromt shoruldergZlthmzeby forcing;aiongtheiormerrthe mteyiouslyswoundsconyolutions: Accordinglmthe, out" edges: of?theeconvoiutionsr wonndi upon the farmertzaretsmaintainedzin -contact underisubstane tial pressure.

An electricalk,weldingsheadi'flr (Figures; 1 2 and 5') of: known: typeyisemounted on angangle bracket 8&securedtobase 520 adjacent the outer. 013811161111. of formerrnzt Therhead 811: iswso disposed thata welding electrode 89 carried thereby is spacedibut. a shortzdistance fromvthe outer end of the former fig and fromvpinch roll 5ll, and is "positioned for welding "the adj acent conyolu-tions' of the wound; tubing orxpipe along-the 1ine-of edgewise contact between-adjacent" convolutions; As Will be clear from what h'asbeensaid," as the pipe or tube-is: wound; it: is 2 advanced axially along-the former and is rotated about its axis, the contacting edges ofithe convolutions bein'g' welded together during; windingzand 'advancement OfthB DiRE; so-as tobe united bwtheweldi il0 shown in Figure 10. Inithis f' figure; the adjacent convolutionswhich? are welded together-=area-identifledj by the-references stand-c3";

' In Figure -lliI-'ha*ve-sh-own--a face view'ofmetal strip or skelp'as it is -.produced"commercially; It

will be -noted that the side edges of this? strip straight andtrue In Figurellthe dotand' dash lines cw indicate the lines along which-the skelp I is cut as it is wound into tubularfbrm to produce the pipe; and also indicate theedges" off the cut strip;- The advantages" of" that have been ex? plained above and" need not be repeatedhere.

AST"8JbGV8 indicated; and as" will be understood bYfthOSESkfl'ld' in-thistartb changes in detail 1 33 be -resortedto; both as: tame-machine and the: methodiof-"my invention; without" departing from the field" and scope the'reof'j' and" I intendi'to in:

cl'udealI} such variations, as-fall within-the ap-v pended "claim's;*- in-this-application in which the preferred -"f'orm-vonly; of my invention; has been disclosedl' 1; In amachinefor;;making spira1f pipeafromf; metal; strip; a cylindrical formerhaving aihelie cal shoulder; means for-winding metal strip in"- contact with said shoulder and forming it" on said 'formen spirally intotubular form withthe lead-ing margin- .of eachconvolut-ionas -it is wound overlapping-the following margin of the next preceding convolution; and-"cuttingr-means -effe"c---- 7, cutting means comprising two cooperating cutting members'and one of said members extending into said former.

2. In a machine for making spiral pipe from metal strip, a cylindrical former having a helical shoulder, means for winding metal strip in contact with said shoulder and forming it on said former spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution, cutting means effective for cutting through in a common plane the overlapping margins of said convolutions, said cutting means comprising two cooperating cutting members and one of said members extending into said former, and means for discharging from said former the severed portions of said margins as they are cut.

3. In a machine for making spiral pipe from metal strip, a tubular cylindrical open ended former having a helical shoulder adjacent one end, means for winding metal strips in contact with said shoulder and forming it on said former spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following marginof the next preceding convolution providing a lap joint therebetween, cutting means effective for cutting through in a common plane the overlapping margins of said convolutions, said cutting means comprising two cooperating cutting members and one of said members extending into said former, and deflector means within said former disposed to deflect through said one end thereof the severed portion of the underlap of said joint as it is cut.

4. In a machine for making spiral pipe from metal strip, a tubular cylindrical open ended former having an exterior helical shoulder adjacent one end, means for winding metal strip in contact with said shoulder and forming it on said former spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution providing a lap joint therebetween, said former being provided with a substantially radial opening, and shears comprising an arm extending into said former through said one end thereof and two cutting members, one carried by said arm and the other contiguous to said opening, effective for cutting through in a common plane the overlapping margins of said convolutions.

5. In a machine for making spiral pipe from metal strip, a tubular cylindrical open ended formerhaving an exterior helical shoulder adjacent one end, means for winding metal strip in contact with said shoulder and forming it on said former spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it iswound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution providing a lap joint therebetween, said former having at its upper portion an opening therethrough, shears comprising a lower arm extending into said former through said one end thereof and an upper arm overlying said former, and cooperating cutting members carried by said arms respectively disposed adjacent said former and in said opening effective for cutting through in a common plane the overlapping margins of said convolutions.

6. In a machine for making spiral pipe from metal strip, a tubular cylindrical opened ended former having an exterior helical shoulder adjacent one end, means for winding metal strip in contact with said shoulder and forming-iton said form spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution providing a lap joint therebetween, said former being provided with a substantially radial opening, shears comprising an arm extending into said former through said one end thereof and an arm exterior of said former, two cuttingdiscs respectively mounted for rotation on said arms inclined across the axis of said former, one of said discs being within said former and the other disc extending adjacent said opening, said discs cooperating for cutting through in a'common plane the overlapping margins of said convolutions, and power means for driving one of said discs in a direction tending to wind the metal strip about said former.

7. In a machine fo making spiral pipe from metal strip, a tubular cylindrical open ended former having an exterior helical shoulder adjacent, one end, means for winding metal strip in contact with said,;shoulder and forming it on said former spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution providing a lap joint therebetween, said former being provided with a substantially radial opening, shears comprising an arm extending into said former through said one end thereof and two cutting members, one carried by said arm and the-other contiguous to said opening, effective for cutting through in a common plane theoverlapping margins for said convolutions, and a deflector carried by said arm disposed to deflect the severed portion of the underlap of said joint toward said one end of said former.

8. The method of making spiral pipe, which comprises winding metal strip spirally into tubular form with the margins of adjacent convolutions of the wound strip overlapping, cutting through the overlapping margins, and welding together the cut edges of the convolutions.

9. The method of making spiral pipe, which comprises winding metal strip spirally into tubular form with the leading margin of each convolution as it is wound overlapping the following margin of the next preceding convolution, cutting through the overlapping margins and moving the cut leading edge portion of the convolution being wound radially inward into alignment with the cut edge of the next preceding wound convolution in edgewise contact therewith, and welding together the cut edges of the convolutions.

JAMES HALL TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 183,328 Root Oct. '17, 1876 1,583,212 Williams May 4, 1926 1,793,280 Williams Feb 17, 1931 1,989,796 Firth Feb. 5, 1935 2,063,798 Firth Dec. 8, 1936 2,155,859 Harford Apr. 25, 1939 2,237,309 McMinn Apr. 8, 1941 2,265,129 Darner Dec. 9, 1941 2,316,349 McMinn Apr. 13, 1943 I FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 110,210 Australia Mar. 21, 1940 

